“Ecstatic, completely ecstatic! We are so grateful to Money Magazine for recognizing us and for sharing with everybody what we as residents know firsthand,” said a Monterey Park elected official at a news conference.

Some of the extraordinary resources that propelled Monterey Park towards the top include: its prime location near major freeways and rail transportation; 13 parks and recreational opportunities; a farmers’ market; Barnes Park Amphitheater’s free concerts and events; East LA College and nearby Cal State LA; diverse dining choices; year-round cultural events; and upcoming economic development.

Another city elected representative said, “We have commercial areas that are prospering, with a lot of people coming to shop, eat and dine…but we also maintain the small town atmosphere for people to live and enjoy their life.”

In the Money Magazine (Time Money) ranking, Monterey Park placed #3 in the entire United States, following #1 Fishers, Indiana, and #2 Allen, Texas. To compile its “Best Places to Live” ranking, Money Magazine used scoring based on the cities’ economy, cost of living, education, housing, crime, amenities and ease of living.

Money found that Monterey Park has: a median home price of $533,083; median household income of $57,419; an average commute time of 27 minutes; projected job growth of 4.7 percent; 278 clear days per year; and a high school graduation rate of 92.3 percent.

When asked by reporters, residents mentioned the plentiful restaurant choices, historic monuments like the Cascades Waterfall, recreational activities, cultural diversity, independent fire and police services, a prospering economy, schools, their neighbors and the quality of life that Monterey Park provides."